Society faces major challenges such as poverty, housing, and climate change, to name just a few. To help countries worldwide address these issues sustainably, the United Nations formulated seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. Within ARC Research Center – the research center of the Creative Business domain at Inholland University of Applied Sciences – Philippa Collin conducted research on how to bring these goals to life. Her conviction: “Collaboration is the foundation for getting started on the SDGs. It is our task to teach students the language to talk about collaboration.”

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At the end of August, Philippa stepped down from her work at Inholland to enjoy early retirement. In recent years, she worked on projects focused on personal development in relation to sustainable change. She explored the question: how do you encourage students to actively contribute to a more sustainable world? Her research led to several meaningful projects, including two international collaborations: Games for Goals and the ESC-IDG Hub. In both projects, collaboration was central – not only as a means, but also as a goal in itself.

Games for Goals

In the Games for Goals project, four European universities of applied sciences from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Portugal worked together with three NGOs to develop educational games designed to introduce primary school pupils to the SDG’s.

The collaboration took place through annual ‘mobilities’: intensive project weeks in which international student teams co-designed a game around a sustainability issue. In total, they developed three games , now translated into five languages and made freely available, along with an accompanying methodology on quality sustainability education.

An achievement to be proud of, but according to Philippa, the process was just as valuable as the product. “Students learned to collaborate in an international context, to uncover implicit cultural values, and to engage with different perspectives on learning, teaching, and motivation. Some partners from other countries, for example, viewed students primarily as producers of a final result, while at Inholland we aim to create space for personal growth and to nurture intrinsic motivation.”

These conversations about values led to something essential: “Students learned to reflect together, to align, and to make differences explicit and discussable. They learned to truly listen, to let go of assumptions, and to create something new together. They developed a shared working culture and a common language. That experience is at least as valuable as the game they created.”

ESC-IDG Hub

Many students – and lecturers as well – feel overwhelmed by the scale of societal issues such as climate change, social inequality, and the transition to a circular economy. They want to make a difference but often don’t know where to begin.

To address this, the IDG Hub was founded in collaboration with the Expertise Network for Systemic Co-Design: an interactive meeting space where research is conducted into people’s concerns and motivations for action. At the same time, the hub is a place where societal transitions and sustainability issues are addressed collectively and systemically, grounded in the Inner Development Goals (IDG’s).

Together with colleagues, Philippa developed a practical training program for students to explore these inner skills. The training consisted of a short introduction, followed by interactive exercises and reflection moments. The design was accessible, but the effect profound. “Students recognized themselves in the themes. They interacted with each other more openly, felt more connected to themselves, to others, and to the world around them. This created trust and a sense of agency.”

The ESC-IDG Hub applies a dynamic approach with the student at the centre. “The gap between knowing and doing is large. The IDGs help students bridge that gap, starting with themselves”, Philippa explains. “It’s not about knowing more, but about getting to know yourself better so that you dare to take action – based on your own values, within your own discipline.”

Collaboration as a force for change

What connects both projects is the understanding that sustainable collaboration does not emerge automatically. It requires awareness, language, practice, and the courage to move forward – even step by step. “By guiding students in their personal development and taking them seriously as partners in the learning process, we create space for genuine collaboration. And that collaboration is essential for sustainable development and for creating a world we want to live in”, says Philippa.

On 15 and 16 October, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, together with the other partners of the Center of Expertise Creative Innovation (CoE CI), is hosting the annual Society 5.0 Festival. This festival focuses on creating a human-centered digital society in which technology serves as a means to enhance the well-being of both people and the planet. This fourth edition is themed “Shaping Hybrid Realities” and will take place at The Social Hub Amsterdam City. Admission to the Society 5.0 Festival is free for Inholland students and staff: registrer via the CoE Ci website.

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Due to digitalisation, our lifeworld is becoming increasingly hybrid. The world as it appears to us – how we see it, understand it, and navigate it – is a blend of digital media technologies and physical environments. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive experiences (IX) are set to deepen this fusion in the coming years.

This shift to hybrid realities has far-reaching implications for our everyday lives and our democratic society. How does this impact our shared sense of reality, mental well-being, relationships, and how we shape and experience public space?

At the Society 5.0 Festival, we explore new ways of working to shape a desirable future society. During this two-day festival – filled with workshops, performances, installations, and talks – creatives, researchers, citizens, technologists, educators, designers, students, and (policy)makers come together to access, generate, sense, and reclaim our hybrid future.

Find out more about the Society 5.0 Festival en register via the CoE Ci website to claim your free tickets.

Founded in 2014, the AQUILO Rocket Team, is a unique student project from the Aeronautical Engineeringand Luchtvaarttechnolgie programs. The team comprises a group of enthusiastic students who design, build, test, and launch rockets together. Timo van Spelden, a former team manager, explains: "The AQUILO Rocket Team originated from an internship assignment. One of the Aeronautical Engineering students was tasked with building and launching a rocket. This was AQUILO I. The group working on it decided to continue, forming the current student team."

What Does the AQUILO Rocket Team Do?
The AQUILO Rocket Team is involved in designing and building rockets, managing almost everything in-house. "We create almost everything ourselves, except for a few electronic components and parts of the motor," says Timo. "One of our strengths is working with composites. We make lightweight but very strong rockets with excellent performance."

The team develops so-called "sounding rockets," used to conduct experiments in the upper layers of the atmosphere. What makes the AQUILO Rocket Team unique is that they design, test, and build their motors, unlike most other teams that buy off-the-shelf motors.

The Structure of the Team
The AQUILO Rocket Team is divided into five main departments. Each team member contributes to the success of the rocket missions.

The structural department plays a crucial role in building the rocket. They handle the fins, the nosecone, and the rocket's tubes, ensuring the design is sturdy and aerodynamic. These components are made from composite materials such as carbon fibre and fiberglass. These lightweight yet strong materials give the rocket a high-performing structure.

The electronics team deals with all the electronic aspects of the rocket. Both the software and hardware are made by AQUILO. This department ensures that the navigation, sensors, and communication systems work together perfectly. Without their efforts, the rocket would be blind and unable to collect crucial data.

The propulsion department is the heart of the rocket. Their expertise in solid propellant fuels is vital. The so-called fuel "Rocket Candy" is made by the team, making them one of only two rocket teams in the Netherlands to do so. A good motor design and fuel are essential for AQUILO's successful launches.

After the launch, the recovery team takes responsibility. They ensure the rocket returns safely to the ground. Using various parachutes and deployment techniques, they ensure the rocket remains undamaged after launch and can be reused.

Since one year, the team has expanded with a marketing department. This department increases AQUILO’s visibility through social media, the website, and promotional materials.

In addition to the five departments, AQUILO has a safety team. This team safeguards safety during all team activities, both at ASK ’t Harde and during CO₂ activation operations of the recovery system in the Delft region. Team members assess risks and reduce them where necessary when working with rocket technology.

The Dutch government aims to reduce all CO2 emissions to zero by 2070. This seems an impossible challenge  for future aviation engineers. How can we make aviation more sustainable? This question was central during ‘SWAPEC 2024: Future of Flight - A Runway to Sustainable Aviation,’ a symposium held at Rotterdam The Hague Airport organized by the student association V.S.V. Sipke Wynia of the Aeronautical & Precision Engineering program at Inholland University of Applied Sciences Delft. Interesting speakers and companies presented their innovations and discussed the challenges facing the aviation industry. The event offered students plenty of opportunities to meet industry professionals and explore their roles as future engineers.

SWAPEC stands for ‘Sipke Wynia Aeronautical & Precision Engineering Conference’ and was organized this year for the 42nd time. Why focus on sustainable aviation? “Because it is important to prepare young professionals for the drastic changes ahead,” says Kiki de Brouwer, chair of V.S.V. Sipke Wynia. The symposium attracted experts and representatives from both large companies and smaller startups, as well as students, researchers, and lecturers from the TU Delft and Inholland University of Applied Sciences. There was also an innovation market with demonstrations from NLR, Saluqi Motors, NRG2Fly, AeroDelft, Vaeridion, and Inholland. The day was chaired by Harm Edens, known from ‘BNR Duurzaam’ (podcast) and ‘Dit was het nieuws’ (TV).

“Extremely interesting to hear about the technological developments taking place and which companies are working on innovations to meet the ambitious goals for sustainable aviation,” says Tjalle Hanzens, a fourth-year Aeronautical Engineering student at Inholland Delft. “It is up to our generation to achieve the climate goals; it’s good to know what skills are expected of us.”

Dutch Ambitions 
Lodewijk Asscher, chairman of the Sustainable Aviation Table, kicked off the event. He emphasized the importance of (global) cooperation and the need for fair prices and kerosene taxes to stimulate innovation. "International travel is essential for building intercultural relationships and avoiding polarization. Instead of blaming individual travelers for pollution, we need to create a viable market and economy for sustainable flying, possibly supported by government subsidies.” He also called on students to help make companies successful in a changing world.

Knowledge Institutes 
Next, senior Airbus strategist Guido Schwartz presented Airbus’s approach to sustainable aviation: “Decarbonizing flights requires groundbreaking solutions that integrate new fuel types and technologies. Besides international cooperation, societal acceptance is also crucial.” Arvind Gangoli Rao, professor of sustainable aircraft propulsion at TU Delft, discussed the impact of new fuels and propulsion designs on emission reduction and aircraft designs, while Denise Eikelenboom from NLR (Netherlands Aerospace Centre) addressed the challenges around certifying new technologies. “It takes courage, perseverance, and especially time to meet all safety standards and develop new ones,” she stated.

Second-Year Project Award Ceremony 
After the lunch break, the award ceremony for second-year Aeronautical Engineering students took place. Their assignment? Design, build, test and fly a remote-controlled electric scale model airplane for extinguishing small fires. The four prototypes, which made their first flights the day before, were on display. “A hugely educational project,” said lecturer Rick van de Ploeg. “These students overcame technical challenges and learned to communicate and collaborate effectively.”

New Initiatives 
The afternoon highlighted various new initiatives. Ron van Baaren, CTO of Fokker Next Gen, represented the hydrogen movement, where the major challenge lies in convincing both technicians and investors of a kerosene-free future. Erik Geertsema, CEO of Conscious Aerospace, and Joseph Michaels presented strategies to accelerate the introduction of hydrogen-electric propulsion systems through retrofit solutions. And Hubert Blijie spoke about the AeroDelft project, in which mainly students from TU Delft and Inholland design, build, and test a liquid-hydrogen-electric two-seater aircraft.

Then the electric movement was spotlighted, with designs such as the Maeve M80, a hybrid-electric aircraft for 84 passengers from Maeve Aerospace, and the Microliner from Vaeridion, with battery engines in the wings. Finally, Joaquin Exalto, Aircraft Performance Engineer at Elysian Aircraft, explained the possibilities of battery technology for electric flights. A potentially shorter range is less relevant, according to him: "80% of all turboprop flights in Europe are less than five hundred kilometers."

Young & Disruptive 
The conference concluded with a panel discussion on the shortage of human capital in sustainable aviation. Young professionals Tessa Mennink (GKN Fokker) and Sjoerd Luijckx (TANIQ) spoke with industry experts Jolanda Stevens (KLM), Frank Jansen (NAG), and Victor Rijkaart (TU Delft). The urgency was clear: within ten years, 50% of the sector will retire. To prevent losing young talent to other sectors, established companies must become more attractive and respond to the needs of the new generation. Sjoerd: “Ensure ownership and give newcomers the chance to make an immediate impact.” Tessa also wants more commitment, as 2050 seems far off: “For that, we need new leadership and structures where talent can grow.” The advice: be transparent about sustainability performance, expand collaboration, and also involve suppliers and the energy sector.

Highly Successful 
The unique mix of speakers and the impressive turnout of industry leaders were, according to Inholland program manager Arnold Koetje, crucial to the great success of the symposium. “The panel discussion could have been a bit sharper, but the young professionals did an excellent job! This, combined with Harm Edens’ knowledge of sustainable developments worldwide, interspersed with a humorous note, made SWAPEC 2024 a very successful edition.”

From 26 to 29 September, the 33rd edition of Europe’s largest international conference for higher education will take place. This time, it is being held in Rotterdam, with Inholland University of Applied Sciences as one of the host institutions. At the annual EAIE conference, education professionals come together to learn, discover trends and meet up

Various different workshops, sessions and lectures will take place during the EAIE conference. Visitors can also take part in the Campus Experience in Delft and Rotterdam on 26 September. In the morning, you’ll see examples of our practice-based education, we'll engage in discussions about internationalisation policy and activities. In the afternoon, you’ll either have the opportunity to explore one of our Living Labs situated on the scenic Southbank of Rotterdam, or visit our green campus in Delft. 

In the Living Lab in Rotterdam students from different disciplines, teachers, researchers, the professional field and community members come together to work on current and future challenges. During the experience in Delft, participants from a wide range of countries including France, the Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden and Mexico will find out more about our education, our labs and the special projects taking place in Delft.

Flappy Project
One example is the Flappy Project run by Mauro Gallo (Biomimicry lecturer). Given the growing world population and increasing demand for food, it is essential for agricultural and horticultural production to increase. However, pests and diseases pose a significant threat to crop yields and can reduce them by up to 10 per cent. Moreover, growers are increasingly restricted in the use of chemical pesticides. This calls for an alternative, sustainable approach.

Through the use of hovering drones, these diseases and pests can be monitored and controlled at an earlier stage. The drones must be small enough to fly between the plants and able to stay airborne for a sufficiently long time. It is also important to optimise energy efficiency in order to achieve an effective and sustainable solution. This can help growers to grow crops sustainably. If it were up to Mauro, several different crops would be grown in a single greenhouse in the future: 'In this scenario, the "Flappy" drones could monitor the crops, help to prevent problems and even let growers know the optimal time to harvest.’

The place where green & technology come together
In short, Inholland Delft is a dynamic environment in which students, researchers and businesses come together to work on pioneering projects and solutions to the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. From robotics and artificial intelligence to renewable energy and biotechnology, a wide range of disciplines are represented.

Campus innovation 
Besides this special project, Richard Oerlemans, director at the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Computing and location director of Inholland Alkmaar, will open the Campus Experience in Delft. With his extensive experience in higher education and his passion for developing talent, he has transformed the Sticky Campus in Alkmaar into a dynamic learning environment: 'I believe that the Sticky Campus in Alkmaar is a true breeding ground for innovation and collaboration. It is a place where knowledge, talent and businesses come together and where new ideas can come to life.'

Study associations
Finally, the two study associations of Inholland Delft, S.V. Futurum Mundus Clementia (FMC) and V.S.V. Sipke Wynia, will also be present. These two study associations focus on different disciplines and areas of interest. They provide a platform that not only allows students to connect with fellow students but also allows them to develop further outside the classroom. By organising lectures, workshops, excursions and social events, the study associations contribute to students' academic, professional and personal growth. They provide a community in which students can support, collaborate and inspire each other. 

It was an exciting moment for the students of Aeronautical & Precision Engineering at Inholland Delft University of Applied Sciences. After a year of working and building their own aircraft, the day to test it on the grounds of the model flying club in Rozenburg, has arrived. Would it be possible to keep the remote-controlled aircraft in the air and collect the necessary data? And maybe even, as icing on the cake, to drop the water balloon you brought with you from the cargo bay in such a way that a fire can be extinguished? 

The development and construction of the aircraft is part of the shift from 'classical' education to project-driven education, which incorporates applying theories learned into practice. Consequently students have to look for the necessary knowledge and skills to solve problems as they go. Moreover, says student Julian Petit, theory and practice are now much more closely related: “You can immediately apply what you learn in the lecture hall. That makes it all much more tangible. You see the effect of your calculations and remember the methods you have used better, because you have already applied them once.”

Super assignment
Because Julian is doing the second year of the program (in which this project takes place) for the second time, he can make a good comparison with the 'old' more traditional educational approach. “Last year it was much more theoretical. Additionally, it was a corona year, I only remember from practical assignments a test on material strength, and that also went via a live stream. This is really a super cool assignment and I really looked forward to the test flights and of course the 'real' flying day. We have been working hard on this for three quarters of a year and I thought it was very exciting whether we would see the result of our efforts.”

Melissa Solomon is originally from Germany and moved to Delft for the English-taught version of the program: Aeronautical & Precision Engineering. Although in the 'Dutch' version Luchtvarttechnologie  much is already done in English, due to the international character of the field. Melissa: “I had always been very interested in this field of study and became more and more convinced that this is what I wanted to do. In and around Germany you don't have many options, especially if you want to follow the course in English, so this was the best option for me. And I actually like it even better than I expected.”

Teamwork experience
Just like Julian, Melissa experienced the practical approach of the assignment as very instructive. She particularly mentions learning and working in teams. “Each group has a coach who knows what a good design should look like and who can provide guidance. But in both semesters we also researched and learned a lot ourselves. I think that is good for our development and certainly also for experiencing what teamwork means. You learn to rely on each other instead of 'the knowledge of the teacher'. The social aspect is also very important, you learn to communicate well with each other. If you only focus on the theory, you are always working alone, you don't work together. While in your future job you also have to work with others.”

Melissa is so enthusiastic about the project ('a very exciting thing to do') that she always looks forward to getting started. Even on Monday morning, she says with a wink. “Take the cargo bay: it had to be designed as efficiently as possible and weigh less than 1 kilo. I have never had to build a mechanism with so many arms, hinges, etc.! We also had to do the programming ourselves, for that we had to look up all the codes and figure out how to implement them, for example for the sensors. It was really great to be able to learn and implement all that as a team.”

The big day
On Monday, May 15th,  all aircraft successfully took off. A total of 11 flights were made and all were successful. All aircraft performed exactly or almost exactly as calculated and managed to collect the necessary data. From a technical point of view a very successful day.

It was also a success for everyone on a personal level. The enthusiasm and pride were evident – and euphoria was shared as the planes took off. There were maiden flights and measurement flights combined with the fire-extinguishing simulation. About half of the teams succeeded in the latter, dropping the water balloon. That may seem like an easy task, but it is quite complex: a mechanism must hold the balloon without breaking it and release it at the desired moment, whereby the hatches also open.

Naturally, the students also ran into problems. For example, small assembling and connection errors were made. For a group a cable turned out to be incorrectly installed. A small mistake, but it takes some time to find the issue, to take everything apart and reassemble the plane. The weather also did not cooperate as hoped, especially in the afternoon when it started raining with increasing wind levels. It was then decided to shorten the program and conclude it with an aerobatics flight. The 'strongest' aircraft was challenged to the limits of the flight envelope with high turns, a barrel roll and fast-flying, among other manoeuvres.

Despite the cold, the atmosphere was completely restored and the approximately 130 attendees were cheering and roaring – the emotion and discharge after a year of hard efforts from everyone. The fact that the wind blew the roof off a tent did not spoil the fun. It was soon joked that the roof came off both literally and figuratively. What follows is data analysis, presentations and evaluation, but the day ended very satisfied and fulfilled for everyone.

A new consortium of stakeholders within the Dutch space ecosystem is working together with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland, RVO) to further exploit the potential of the space sector. With its winning proposal, the consortium has been awarded a two-year subsidy to roll out a campaign optimising the early stages of the entrepreneurial journey in the Dutch space sector, from idea to start-up and scale-up. Starting in 2023, the OneSpaceHub programme will expand and strengthen the network in the Netherlands to set out a trajectory geared towards excelling space related talent and entrepreneurship.

A national partnership
RVO’s One Single Hub programme focuses on partnerships of organisations such as incubators and accelerators as well as universities in the Netherlands that aim to improve facilities for innovative entrepreneurship. OneSpaceHub is a joint effort that was awarded a grant under this initiative. The project team led by NL Space Campus consists of Space Business Innovation Centre Noordwijk, University of Twente, PLNT Leiden Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Aerospace Innovation Hub, Hogeschool Inholland, Radboud University and Leidse instrumentmakers School. The consortium will lay the foundation for a permanent national partnership where talents from provincial programmes and different educational levels flow towards a strong space-tech and data-driven ecosystem.

Boosting entrepreneurship
The space sector is growing rapidly on a global scale. With an increasing amount of technology transfers, commercialisation, and data driven solutions flowing to other industries, the space sector has gained importance for the wider economy. Across the Netherlands there are various programmes in the field supporting entrepreneurship covering different aspects such as financing, valorisation, talent, and marketing. OneSpaceHub aims to make “a selection of excellent programmes” better aligned, more visible, and in particular broadly accessible. This will be achieved by bringing together the expertise coming from some of the best performing programmes in the most important early phases of entrepreneurship: education, activation, pre-incubation and incubation. To this end it will link, reinforce, and extend initiatives already in place to make this support accessible in the whole country. A uniform, efficient and accessible OneSpaceHub trajectory will be offered locally, hybrid (online and in-person), and eventually from every province to better facilitate and stimulate entrepreneurs along their growth path. The selection of complementary programmes will increase the chances of success for space related start-ups and scale-ups, and create an even bigger pull to attract new talent, ideas, business and knowhow. By connecting several local hotspots, entrepreneurs will have access to new collaborations and will be in a better position to grow, diversify, and reach new markets on a national and international scale.

Contact information
The mission of OneSpaceHub is to better facilitate and stimulate the entrepreneurial journey from education and pre-incubation to start-up and scale-up and to generate more space related start-ups and scale-ups in the Netherlands. If you want more information, please contact Parya Pasha Zadeh: p.pasha@utwente.nl. For further question on the involvement of Inholland in OneSpaceHub, please contact Erik Laan: erik.laan@inholland.nl